{"id":298,"date":"2009-09-29T14:03:19","date_gmt":"2009-09-29T21:03:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/patternbasedwriting.com\/elementary_writing_success\/?p=298"},"modified":"2015-06-04T22:11:41","modified_gmt":"2015-06-05T05:11:41","slug":"six-traits-of-remedial-and-effective-writing-instruction-in-middle-school","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/patternbasedwriting.com\/elementary_writing_success\/six-traits-of-remedial-and-effective-writing-instruction-in-middle-school\/","title":{"rendered":"The Traits of Remedial (and Effective) Writing Instruction in Middle School"},"content":{"rendered":"

Effective middle school writing instruction begins with a clear understanding of where your students are and where you wish them to be. As Steven Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People<\/em> said, \u201cBegin with the end in mind.\u201d<\/p>\n

One easy way to get clear\u2014objectively clear<\/em>\u2014on where your students are, and where you wish them to be, is to examine a collection of released student writing samples from a state writing assessment. Trained graders<\/em> have evaluated and scored these student-writing samples using an objective rubric. Here is a link to the best collection I have found: Elementary Writing Samples, Middle School Writing Examples, Sample Essays<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Now you must ask yourself a few questions about your students and about your plans for teaching them writing.<\/p>\n

Three Important Questions to ask yourself about your Middle School Writing Instruction<\/h3>\n
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1.\u00a0Are your middle school students remedial writers, on grade level, or high achieving writers?<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0How will you bridge the gap between your remedial writers and your high achieving writers?<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0What are a few appropriate goals and objectives for your middle school writing instruction?<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

The\u00a0Qualities of Effective Middle School Writing<\/h3>\n

Ideally, middle school teachers would begin their writing instruction with the following set of skills. That being said, I\u2019ve taught both elementary school and middle school in the inner-city, and I\u2019ve found that most students are missing the necessary foundation that helps these skills take root and grow:<\/p>\n

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1.\u00a0Students apply the skills of using precise, concise, clear, descriptive, and distinctive language.<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0Students apply advanced levels of syntax and sentence structure.<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0Students develop knowledge and skill of writing in a variety of genres across the curriculum.<\/p>\n

4.\u00a0Students engage in deep analysis of many genres of writing and use evaluative rubrics in their analysis.<\/p>\n

5.\u00a0Students apply advanced language usage, sentence structure, and organizational structure to essay writing and other whole composition assignments.<\/p>\n

6.\u00a0Students provide relevant details, support, and evidence for thesis statements, controlling ideas, and main ideas.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n

Put simply, with struggling middle school writers, it behooves the middle school writing teacher to build a multi-paragraph writing foundation beforehand, one that makes sense to both their struggling writers and their high-achieving writers. Creating this foundation beforehand, makes what follows easier. Additionally, building this foundation can help you create a common bridge between the remedial writers and the high achieving writers in your class.<\/p>\n

<\/h3>\n

Bridging the Gap between Remedial Writers and High Achieving Middle School Writers<\/h3>\n

One of the great frustrations in teaching middle school writing is the vast range of writing skills that students in the same class possess. There is often a cavernous gap between the high achievers and the struggling middle school writers, especially when compared with both elementary school and high school writers.<\/p>\n

In elementary school, the gap in student achievement is smaller because there has been less time for the gap to grow. In high school, students are usually on different career paths<\/em>, and as such are in different classrooms. In short, middle school teachers must build a bridge between remedial writers and high achievers\u2014a bridge that effectively allows them to scaffold instruction for their remedial writers, while also keeping their high achieving writers engaged.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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A\u00a0Four-Step Plan for Scaffolding Instruction for Remedial Writers<\/span><\/h3>\n

1.\u00a0Get everyone on the same page using Pattern Based Writing: Quick\u00a0& Easy Essay<\/strong><\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0Scaffold the new, more advanced instruction.<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0Remediate students who still struggle.<\/p>\n

4.\u00a0Use effective student writing and writers to serve as models and modelers.<\/p>\n

With Pattern Based Writing: Quick & Easy Essay<\/a><\/em>, you will:<\/strong><\/p>\n

1.\u00a0Quickly get everyone on the same multi-paragraph whole composition<\/em> page!<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0Easily remediate with students who still struggle!<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0And because you will have now engaged all of your students, your new (more advanced) writing instruction will actually WORK! You will be building upon a foundation that makes sense to everyone!<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Effective middle school writing instruction begins with a clear understanding of where your students are and where you wish them to be. As Steven Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People said, \u201cBegin with the end in mind.\u201d One easy way to get clear\u2014objectively clear\u2014on where your students are, and where you […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":2022,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[70],"tags":[69,38,27,39,24,396,45,72,71,36],"class_list":["post-298","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-remedial-writing-instruction","tag-effective-writing-instruction","tag-homeschool-remedial-writing","tag-middle-school-writing","tag-middle-school-writing-programs","tag-reluctant-writers","tag-remedial-writing-instruction","tag-remedial-writing-jr-high","tag-scaffolding-writing-instruction","tag-writing-across-the-curriculum","tag-writing-curriculum"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t